Google’s latest screen‑less fitness band, the Fitbit Air, arrives at $99 with no subscription required. The device relies entirely on the rebranded Google Health app for alarms, workouts and sensor settings. Unboxing it means immediately configuring basic functions in the app, since the band lacks a display or buttons.

First, users should enable wrist‑worn alarms that vibrate and stop with a double‑tap. Up to eight alarms can be set, with optional repeat and Smart Wake features that adjust timing to your sleep cycle. Next, the app asks whether the band sits on a dominant or non‑dominant wrist, a choice that refines step‑count accuracy by accounting for hand‑specific movement patterns.

Finally, the setup includes vibration intensity, heart‑rate sharing with gym equipment, and health alerts such as high/low heart‑rate thresholds and irregular rhythm detection. Enabling continuous Bluetooth visibility improves real‑time data sync but may shorten battery life. Completing these steps unlocks the band’s core tracking capabilities and positions it as a low‑cost challenger to subscription‑based competitors.